ANT RJ DISCUSSION
Find a Story/Case Study
(For this assignment - see warning below to please avoid stories about sexual assault - they are complicated and many layered and individual to the people involved. You might find good examples - but they are the hardest for everyone to process and understand because each story is so unique).
Find a story about interpersonal harm or violence that gets a "restorative justice" treatment. Think inter-personally and also about your own future career. Think about crimes between people, issues of justice in a community, in a classroom, in a work place... what can you find in restorative justice examples in the fields you have experienced or want to live in? Find stories from these different ways of working at conflict resolution in ways that "restore" justice to the person harmed AND hold the person who committed the crime accountable.
Analyze the story. You are welcome to add stories from your own lives - this week we are doing it on the discussion board so that you can be assured of privacy in telling stories. But remember - again - the point of the story is not simply about "conflict resolution" or mediation, or how a person who has been harmed by a violent crime moves on in their life (or not). This MUST be an example of how BOTH the person hood of the person who committed the crime and the person who sustained the injury/consequences were restored. As in the video above - there is more work beyond that, so much work beyond that. But today we are pausing at this level.
How did the conflict come to some kind of end? Please remember that not all crimes fit this model. There are some examples given on the websites of examples of this in sexual assault - but I would be very careful about generalizing from them. In fact, please leave sexual assault out of the examples you use because restorative justice - attention to both the 'person who suffered' and the 'person who committed the crime' doesn't fit everything - sexual assault is one of those where it might even cause more harm. But I don't deny there are stories there that give you pause. Read and think about them - but if you are choosing case studies to highlight - I would prefer you look at other ones unless you really really want to go there. Then do - and we will pay attention and listen.
All of the stories are deeply individual ones - there are no fixed flow charts/processes - they all have to be individualized to the story at hand.
Where to start? Where to find Case Studies? DO NOT USE THE SAME ONES!!!!!
Start out by studying the Restorative Justice movement (same link as above: restorativejustice.org) . You can find these many other places as well. Go beyond these!
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· Restorative Justice UK has a list of different case studies: Restorative Justice Council UK: Case Studies .
· This page has many many examples classified by type: Case Studies (RJS4C Ireland) .
· Why Me? Stories. Read how this non-profit in England and Wales got started with a crime and then the two men did work together and started this organization. The "Stories" are examples from 17 "ambassadors"... There is a 10 minute film on the website that describes the crime (letting you know the struggle is acted out ) and their process.
Think about these examples and then, if you wish, come back to your own life and think personally. Do you remember examples from High School, work environments or family where restorative justice has been helpful? Do you WANT to share these stories?
YOUR QUESTION:
What kinds of skills and experiences can you find in these websites about people repairing the social fabric, resolving conflicts, making justice work, fixing wrongs, repairing broken people and broken lives? Can you find them in your own life? Are you aware of these skills and experiences among family and friends? I know our class is made up of people from all disciplines, and your approaches will vary enormously. Even if this is not a direction you are headed in your life - what kinds of skills could you pull out if you needed them and where did you learn them?
You are welcome to talk to others and gather stories from friends and family - and I would encourage you to do so.